Ore washer or concentrator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. F.v PIKE. ORE WASHER 0R GONGENTRATOR.

No. 528,982. Patented Nov. 13, 1894.

WITNESSES I n INVENTOB,

(No Model.) 2 S1 1eetsShe t 2. G. P. PIKE.

v ORE WASHER 0R GONGENTRATOR. No. 528,982. Patented Nov. 13, 1894.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. PIKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ORE WASH ER OR CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,982, dated November13, 1894.

Application filed June 10, 1893. Renewed April17, 1894. Serial No.507,948. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PIKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in OreWashers or Concentrators; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact ,description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention has relation to ore washers and concentrators wherein abody or layer of mercury is contained in a moving vessel which hasdistantly located feed and dis? charge appliances for the ore andgangue; and it has for its object simple and effective devices forquickly concentrating the metal from the ore'or gangue; to devices for.

removing the greasy gold remaining in the concentrator after the ganguehas been discharged and appliances connected to the feed or supply forkeeping or maintaining the surface of the mercury clean and bright foramalgamation purposes.

My invention accordingly consists of the combinations, constructions andarrangements of parts as hereinafter more fully described in thespecification and pointed out in the claims. 5

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is asectional elevation of a form of ore washer and concentrator embodyingpart of my improvements, the ore supply and discharge appliances nothere being shown.

Fig. 2 is a plan of same, partly in section showing the feed anddischarge appliances. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan showing a modificationof mechanism for reciprocating the mercury-containing vessel, suchmechanism producing a quicker return than forward reciprocation. Fig. 4is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 1, with feed and dischargeappliances, elevator devices for removing the greasy gold from thewasher or concentrator after the gangue is discharged and appliances formaintaining the surface of the mercury clean or bright. Fig. 5, is aplan of a washer with modified form of shaking appliances for themercury-containing vessel; and Fig. 6 shows an elevation of the lowerend of the feed tube with modified form of arresting plate for the oreand devices for keeping the mercury surface bright or clean. K

A represents any suitable form of washer or concentrator. As shown, itconsists of an annular vessel 0!. with central chamber a,

which vessel is rotated upon its step or bearing a by a belt or otherpower transmitting mechanism 25. If desired it may be additionallysupported and rotate on roller bearings (1 (See Fig. 4..) Within chambera is an annular mercurycontaining vessel B mounted upon trucks or wheelsI) and having vertically located pressure or other roller bearings b inpockets b of chamber a. In'the latter is suitably supported a shaft Dhaving a driving belt or wheel at which has a link connection 61' with abell-crank c on shaft 0 suitably mounted or having its bearings in apocket 12 in chamber a. The lower end of shaft 0 has crank-connection cwith the vessel B so that when shaft 0 is actuated the vessel B isreciprocated to and fro in the line of its rotary movement with thewasher A.

If desired the sides of the vessel B may have flexible apronsoverhanging the same and secured at their upper ends to the walls of theannular chamber was indicated at b to prevent the liquid material invessel B swashing over the edges of the same into chamber a. p Thelatter, has in the walls of chamber a, a series of overflowopenings eatdifferent heights with removable plugs e so that any one or moreof thesame may be 7 opened as desired to regulate the height and the volume ofthe overflow from chamber a.

The chambera. has an outlet tube fleading to a settling chamber F of anannular form as shown or any other forms of overflow detively distantlylocated from the discharge pipe H. Between the feed and discharge pipesG and H is located a roller, apron or other suitable device K forcleaning the surface of the mercury in advance of receiving thereon theore fed to it from pipe G. As shown in Fig. 2, the device K is in theform of a roller mounted in a frame 7.: supported and adjustable on thefeed pipe G as shown. In Fig. 4 said device isin the form of an endlessapron mounted on automatically adjusting bearings or frames To the rearof the cleaning device K is any suitable form of elevator at the frame mof which is suitably mounted upon or secured to the discharge pipe H orother fixture as desir ed, and it is provided with a receiving reservoir711 provided with overflow m and discharge valved outlet on. Thiselevator m is for removing from the surface of the mercury any floatgreasy gold not passing into or dis charged through the pipe II.

It a perforate plate, tiexibleor rigid, is used at the top of themercury as shown at N, Fig. 4, it may be made flexible to admit of thebuckets on the elevator depressing into said plate to remove any greasygold or other material not discharged by the suction pipe 11.

In Fig. 3 a form of actuating mechanism is shown for the vessel B whichhas a longer stroke in one direction than the other to give a quickreturn movement of the vessel B when reciprocated thereby moreeffectually agitating the ore in its travel from the feed to thedischarge pipes and admit of a quicker and more thorough separation ofthe metal from the ore.

In Fig. 6 the feed pipe G is shown provided with ahinged arresting plateto admit of its conforming to the surface of the mercury.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the ore or gangue is fedonto acontinuously moving clean or bright surface of mercury, which is devoidof any greasy gold or other floating material as it approaches thefeeding appliances; that such mercury is shaken or agitated in differentdirections to correspondingly agitate the ore or gangue to effect theseparation of the metal from the ore.

As the construction and arrangement of the novel features of myinvention may be greatly changed without departing from the spirit ofthe same I do not confine myself to those shown and described.

It will be observed that in this case it is the mercury containing orthe ore-receiving vessel which travels or rotates and is reciprocatedwhile moving in the line of its travel; the perforated screen N merelyresting upon the surface of the mercury in said vessel and having nomovement independent ofthe same. In this respect such screen differsessentially from that shown in companion application of even dateherewith, Serial No. 477,17 5, forin it the screen is alone reciprocatedin the line of its traveling movement and the receiving vessel is notsubject to such reciprocating movement.

What I claim is 1. In an ore washer and concentrator, the combination ofa freely supported ore or gangue receiving vessel, actuating devices forrotating said vessel, actuating devices for reciprocating said rotatingvessel in the hue of its rotation, and a feed and a discharge device for said vessel, substantially as set forth.

2. In an ore washer and concentrator the combination of a freelysupported traveling receiving vessel, actuating mechanism for impartingto said vessel its traveling movement,actuating devices forreciprocating said traveling vessel in the line of its travel and a feeddevice and asuction discharge device, for said vessel, substantially asset forth.

3. In an ore washer and concentrator, the combination of a freelysupported traveling receiving vessel, a perforated screen sup portedwithin said vessel, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said travelingvessel in the line of its travel, and a feed device and a suctiondischarge device located on said vessel above said screen, substantiallyas set forth.

4. In an ore washer, a vessel adapted to contain and actuate acontinuously moving body of mercury, a feed appliance, a dischargeappliance, and means located between the feed and discharge appliancesfor cleaning the surface of the mercury, substantially as set forth.

5. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a receivingvessel containing a continuous body of traveling or moving mercury, afeed device, asuction discharge device, and an appliance between thefeed and the discharge for cleaning the surface of the moving mercuryafter passing the discharge and in advance of the feed, substantially asset forth.

6. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a travelingvessel containing mercury, a feed device, a suction discharge device,and an appliance between the feed and discharge for cleaning the surfaceof the mercury, substantially as set forth.

7. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of an outer vessel,an inner freely supported traveling receiving vessel, flexible apronssecured to said outer vessel and overhanging the upper edges of theinner vessel, and means for reciprocating said inner vessel in the lineof movement of its travel, substantially as set forth.

8. In an ore washer and concentrator having a feed and a dischargeappliance, a mercury-surface-rubbing endless belt between said feed anddischarge substantially as set forth.

9. In an ore washer and concentrator having a feed and a dischargeappliance, a mercury surface rubbing device between said feed anddischarge and separate discharge or extractor appliance for greasy orimpure metal located between said rubbing device and said ore or ganguedischarge, substantially as set forth.

10. In an ore washer and concentrator, the combination of avesselcontaining mercury,

a feed device, a discharge device for the waste-matters of the ore 0rgangue, and a separate discharge or extractor appliance for greasy orimpure metal, substantially as set forth.

11. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a receivingvessel, actuating mechanism for moving said vessel continuously in onedirection and simultaneously imparting to it a reciprocating motion inthe line of its travel, a feed and a discharge device for said vessel,substantially as set forth.

12.. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of atravelin gvessel, a feed and a discharge device for said vessel and actuatingdevices which impart a simultaneously traveling movement and areciprocating motion with a quicker return than forward motion to saidvessel, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination with a freely supported device B, a pivotedoscillating lever with arms of different lengths, actuating devices forsaid lever, and devices at the free ends of the arms of said levers foralternately engaging with mechanism on thedevice B for imparting to thelatter a reciprocating motion having a quicker return than forwardmotion, which quicker return imparts to said device B a continuousintermittent travel in the line of its quick return movement,substantially as set forth. 14. In an ore Washer and concentrator arotating receiving vessel having an inner central tubular hub withoverflow openings in the wall of said hub at difierent heights,removable plugs. for said openings, an exit opening at the bottom ofsaid hub, and a feed and a suction discharge device for said receivingvessel, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. PIKE.

Witnesses:

THOS. S. RODGERS, J AMES T. DAILY.

